Good to see Cyril overhauling the Sars machine

President Cyril Ramaphosa was in “take-no-prisoners” mode this week when he suspended SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane, after first asking him to resign, which Moyane refused to do.

Seldom has a sitting head of state in this country used such harsh language – at least that we know of – when dealing with a public servant.

Saying he had lost confidence in Moyane, Ramaphosa effectively described Sars as a mess and said “for the sake of the country and the economy‚ this situation cannot be allowed to continue‚ or to worsen”.

Ramaphosa said he was concerned about the way Moyane handled the issue of chief officer for business and individual taxes Jonas Makwakwa, who resigned last week. Makwakwa had been accused of improprieties.

The president said the Sars mishandling of tax refunds – and an adverse ruling by the tax ombudsman – was also worrying because it could reduce tax morality.

But the Moyane can of worms is much deeper than just those two issues, so it is heartening that Ramaphosa has ordered a full inquiry into the goings-on at Sars over the past few years.

The country still needs to know the truth behind the now discredited story of a “rogue unit” within the organisation, allegedly set up by former Sars commissioner and finance minister Pravin Gordhan. We also need to know if there is truth in the suggestion that former president Jacob Zuma dodged taxes on huge payments from a businessperson.

And there is a question of the involvement of others in the Zuma family in allegedly illegal operations to circumvent excise duty on cigarettes.

Sars is a vital component in the machinery which makes this country run. That machinery is in dire need of a thorough overhaul.

And it is good to see the Chief Mechanic getting his hands dirty …